In honor of Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Ida S. Baker High School’s football team will be wearing pink jerseys Thursday during the Bulldogs’ first annual “Tackling the Cure” fund-raiser.

Kim Conn, Ida Baker High School teacher, said they will be collecting donations and raising money during the whole month of October for The V Foundation for Cancer Research. Other clubs and organizations at the high school are also doing various things to help raise money for the cause.

The idea of holding the big fund-raiser stemmed from the football team.

“It will bring awareness to the students that life is bigger than playing football games and going to homecoming dances,” Conn said. “People are struggling with this (cancer) and they have to live with this.”

The V Foundation for Cancer Research began in 1993 to honor Jim Valvano, a legendary North Carolina State basketball coach and ESPN commentator. Since its inception, the foundation has raised more than $100 million and awarded cancer research grants in 38 states and the District of Columbia.

The fund-raiser will be held on Oct. 6 at Ida Baker’s home football game against Bishop Verot High School.

“We are asking that all of our fans wear pink,” Conn said. “We are calling it the pink out game.”

That night, the football players will be wearing pink uniforms, donated by Eco Air, to show their support for the event.

“They fully funded the jerseys,” Conn said of Eco Air. “They are so gracious for donating the money for the jerseys.”

Conn said Internal Medicine Associates is donating five free mammograms and also giving out $99 mammogram vouchers at the game.

Two hundred pink “Tackling the Cure” Bulldog T-shirts were sold out on Monday for the fund-raiser.

Conn said they will be holding the big fund-raiser again next year and the football players will be wearing pink jerseys again.

Ida Baker High School is located at 3500 Aqualinda Blvd. in Cape Coral.